The Rosary
by TayTay4936
Summary: Just exactly where did Jay get that rosary he wore during his early days at TNA from?  My first wrestling fic.  E&C slash.


That night had been one full of anxiety and apprehension.

They had eaten dinner, which Jay had cooked, despite Adam's protests that he should be the one cooking since he would be back on the road soon and Jay was the one with the nerve-racking debut in a completely new environment tomorrow, at home, savoring the time together but feeling the uncertainty of the future looming above them.

They had made sure the cats and the dogs were all fed and taken care of before retreating to the theatre room. Adam figured if anything was gonna distract Jay from tomorrow, it would be Scarface, but halfway into it, it was clear that even that wasn't working.

Adam got up to turn the tv off before suggesting they just go to bed.

Once the door was closed behind them, it was as if all the worries and fears that had been building up within them since they had made the decision together for Jay to go to TNA were finally able to release themselves.

Adam took one look at Jay and lunged himself at him, seeking the comfort he always found in those arms.

He held on for dear life, while Jay squeezed him to himself as tightly as he could, trying to simultaneously comfort himself and do what had been designated his one full-time job when he was just a kid: take care of Adam.

As he slid into his love that night, secure in the knowledge that their relationship would survive their separation but still fearing the pain that would inevitably come from not having the other there all the time to share in the moments with, he promised Adam that everything would be okay, each hard thrust driving his words and his commitment home.

The next morning was much better for the two, until they got the call about Eddie. Both men had been in complete and utter shock before Jay quietly got up and locked himself in the bathroom.

Adam merely watched him go, with sad, concerned eyes. They weren't best friends, but Adam knew that Jay was a lot closer to Eddie than he himself was. Not really sure what to do, Adam eventually just sat by the bathroom door, waiting for Jay to come out.

A while later, the door finally opened to reveal Jay, red-eyed but under control. Adam, for the millionth time, it seemed, simply marveled at his man. He knew he was hurting, but he was still able to carry on and look to the rest of the day. That was one of the reasons he had always been Adam's rock. He always seemed so indestructible.

For the rest of the day, they didn't turn on the tv, refusing to watch any of the news reports concerning Eddie's death. Instead, they focused entirely on Jay's debut that night, which, inevitably, led to Jay becoming very, very nervous.

He was confident by nature, and always had been, but when it came to either new settings or one-on-one personal conversations, he always became extremely nervous and shy.

Adam did his best to reassure him, but this was a side of Jay that he had seen so few times that he wasn't quite sure what to do. It wasn't until they were literally getting in the car to head to Orlando that Jay remembered something very important.

"Oh, shit. Hang on a sec, I forgot something."

Intrigued, Adam got out of the car and quickly followed Jay back into the house.

He came to a stop in the door frame of their bedroom and watched as Jay opened a drawer and pulled out something Adam had never seen before.

"Where did you get that?" he asked.

Jay gave a small, fond smile at the memory.

"Ma gave it to me."

They had gone back to Orangeville for a few days to see their family after Jay had worked out the details with Dixie Carter. Adam was caught up in a conversation with Josh about music, Josh trying to show Adam some chords on his guitar, when Judy saw her opportunity and asked Jay to follow her into the kitchen so they could talk in private.

"So...how are you feeling, baby?"

"About what?"

"About going to TNA."

"I'm fine." Jay's answer was short and he quickly looked down.

"Jason."

Jay would later look back on this and think how pathetic it was that all it took was for her to say his name like that. In that moment, he was a kid again, amongst the debris of the table he and Adam had broken while wrestling in her living room, his head bowed in shame and embarrassment while Adam had run off to his room, leaving Jay to suffer Judy Copeland's (though very minor) wrath on his own.

He let out a shuddering breath before he lifted his head and looked into her kind, truly motherly eyes.

"I'm nervous. I- I'm really nervous, Ma."

Judy simply gave him a knowing, understanding smile before she pulled something out of her pocket.

"Adam may have let it slip to me during a conversation that you wear yours of the crosses I gave you two whenever you're nervous before an interview or something like that. I thought that maybe something like this would help you on your new 'TNA' journey."

She lifted the rosary in her hands and handed it to Jay.

She herself had never been a very religious woman, and the fact that she had been a young divorced single mother hadn't helped that any, but she _was_ a sentimental woman. She always held on to _things_, which was why she still had so many of Adam's old drawings and countless photos of her boys she could always go back and look at.

She had been given a cross necklace when she was a teenager, and though it didn't hold the deep religious sentiment for her that it did for so many others, it was something solid she could hold on to throughout the hard times of her life. This led her to buying Adam and Jay each their own cross necklace when they started touring together as professionals. She, along with Carol, worried about them constantly, but they both knew that their boys were living their dream, and with those necklaces, she knew they each had a piece of her with them.

Jay took the full rosary offered to him, staring at it for a few moments before slipping it into his pocket and throwing his arms around her.

"Thanks, Ma. Thank you so much."

Judy smiled to herself, knowing she had done the right thing and feeling slightly less worried about her boys being separated on the road.

"You're so welcome, baby. I love you, Jason."

"I love you, too."

They gave each other their own signature smiles before Jay headed back into the living room to listen to Adam fail miserably at the newest riff Josh was attempting to teach him and Judy watched from the entryway of the kitchen as the two she looked at equally as her sons fell back into their signature teasing.

As Jay finished an abbreviated version of his story, Adam gave him a loving smile.

He took the rosary from Jay and placed it, almost reverently, around his neck and stepped back.

"Perfect touch for my amazing stud," he said as his eyes roamed Jay up and down.

Jay gave his trademark arrogant smirk before pulling Adam into a fierce kiss.

"Let's get going. Last thing I need is to be late on my first day."

Adam laughed and headed back towards the car, sliding into the passenger seat.

As he gazed at Jay while they drove, he couldn't help thinking that that necklace really was the perfect touch.

The End


End file.
